Luggage Space Needs

[DixieRider]

A quick search offered no help, so I thought I’d post the question:

How much luggage space (saddlebags, top case, etc.) do you actually use? Not what you have, but what you need or use?

1. I know everyone is different in their needs, but I’d like to have a sense of what people typically tend to do.
2. I ride every year from central/southern Alabama up to Winnipeg, Canada to visit a friend. Next Summer we're looking at meeting at Mount Rushmore. (Age, dangit)
3. Moving from Harleys to a Speedmaster, which doesn’t offer a lot of luggage options, I need to be judicious for the first time in my life.
4. I should have paid more attention to what were necessities and what were luxuries I was bringing along.

I was chatting with someone who mentioned he always brought a trailer on long trips (not for me!) and, I’m sure you can believe it, someone told me if it didn’t fit in a handlebar bag he didn’t bring it (also, not for me!). Any thoughts in between the extremes?

 

[Vector]

Enough but not too much.
or a rear rack.

 

[atomsplitter]

Depends if you're camping outdoors or at the Holiday Inn Express. Speedmaster has the pillion so a medium to large bag will fit no problem. For the intended trip first determine what you need to take and the resulting volume will dictate the amount of storage you'll need. One note about trailers, it's steep learning curve if you use the back brake at all. It will put you sideways in the blink of an eye.

 

[CarlS]

I use my saddle bags for items I use frequently, a few tools, chain lube, air compressor, locking cables for my helmet and jacket, rain gear, etc. I have a dry bag for my camping gear, another dry bag for clothes and toiletries and a third dry bag for my cold weather gear. I use Rok straps to secure everything.

 

[DaveM]

I went for the Motorcycle Luggage Systems, Bags & Accessories - Ventura system on my Speedmaster and I have found it to be the best I have ever owned just for the way it works.

We could pack in enough stuff for two of us for a week away.

 

[W-Frantz]

The choice depends on the nature of my ride. I haven't embarked on an extended tour with this bike yet. For longer journeys, I believe I may need to attach at least minimal saddlebags. However, for my intra-city or shorter rides, my backpack suffices to carry some of my belongings.

 

[DixieRider]

I ordered Viking Bags’ Lamellar Leather Covered hard saddlebags. It’s a little hard to find luggage for the 2023 model Speedmaster. As I’m new, I wasn’t aware of the changes made between 2017 and 2018, and to be diligent in looking for compatibility wasn’t something I thought I’d have to do. All the great options I’d saved in tabs in my browser to look at later had to be discarded for being the wrong year for my bike. After a few trial trips, if I need more space, I’m definitely looking into the Ventura bag system. A lot of helpful pictures. But finding where to buy them proved to be a bit of a challenge to this non-tech savvy guy

 

[DaveM]

I ordered Viking Bags’ Lamellar Leather Covered hard saddlebags. It’s a little hard to find luggage for the 2023 model Speedmaster. As I’m new, I wasn’t aware of the changes made between 2017 and 2018, and to be diligent in looking for compatibility wasn’t something I thought I’d have to do. All the great options I’d saved in tabs in my browser to look at later had to be discarded for being the wrong year for my bike. After a few trial trips, if I need more space, I’m definitely looking into the Ventura bag system. A lot of helpful pictures. But finding where to buy them proved to be a bit of a challenge to this non-tech savvy guy

Are you not able to purchase the Ventura online. I cannot even remember where I purchased my setup as it was some time back. It must have been shipped to me as no local dealer has anything like this at all.

 

[Leroys73]

On my Honda VTX cruiser I used Orlieb very water proof throw over saddle bags. Not cheap but very good. Just keep away from exhaust.

If I needed more space, or didn’t want the saddle bags, I’d add one of the larger Kuryakyn bags to the pillion and its backrest. There are better bags and waterproof bags than Kury.
Giant Loop makes some good stuff.

I always carried a small bag with quick access for my stuff I might need in a hurry.

I always, even with water proof luggage, put everything I do not want wet in ziplocks. Never have had any wet or even damp things packed this way.

 

[DixieRider]

DaveM: "Are you not able to purchase the Ventura online. I cannot even remember where I purchased my setup as it was some time back. It must have been shipped to me as no local dealer has anything like this at all."

I was not able to order online. I clicked on the link to purchase from vendors, and was led back to the Ventura website.

Seriously, thank you very much for all those photos. Not being able to walk into a store and see things firsthand, it’s hard to make an informed decision on what something will look like on the bike, or how useful it will be. Those pictures helped a lot.

 

[rodsridin]

I just bought a Viking Solo bag for my 2007 Scrambler. On trips I always just strap my duffle on the rear seat area but on local little rides this was just too much of a hassle. Viking was the only supplier that had a nice small bag (about a 12 pack size) with a mount system for my scrambler that I found. Everybody had the Street Scrambler mounts. Took about 30 minutes to put it all on yesterday. I did have to remove the OEM grab rail for this install. Planning on adapting the mount to the grab rail so I'll have both in the future. Have to hone my welding skills a little before starting that mod.

 

[W-Frantz]

This saddlebag looks great on your bike and seems like you are having a good time with this bag. Is that this bag "10L Incognito Detachable XS Triumph Scrambler Solo Motorcycle Saddlebag (Left Only)"?

 

[rodsridin]

This saddlebag looks great on your bike and seems like you are having a good time with this bag. Is that this bag "10L Incognito Detachable XS Triumph Scrambler Solo Motorcycle Saddlebag (Left Only)"?

That's the one. Already made up the front mount piece to weld on the grab rail and designing the rear.

 

[DixieRider]

The problem for me is the welding, or at least having the the need to consider it. It may be fun for someone or financially insignificant for another, or have the attraction of true customization as opposed to buying from a catalog, but I never enjoyed the idea of having to jerry-rig something to get close to something I want.

I guess with Harley having something over 80% of the market share, companies make products for them more ealily. When I had my Harleys I never noticed a lack of products. And I do have to admit part of the attraction of the Triumph was that it was — no offense to anyone — a “little guy” in the motorcycle world. But I never accounted for the frustration of not finding (fill-in-the-blank) for my bike.

 

[atomsplitter]

The problem for me is the welding, or at least having the the need to consider it. It may be fun for someone or financially insignificant for another, or have the attraction of true customization as opposed to buying from a catalog, but I never enjoyed the idea of having to jerry-rig something to get close to something I want.

I guess with Harley having something over 80% of the market share, companies make products for them more ealily. When I had my Harleys I never noticed a lack of products. And I do have to admit part of the attraction of the Triumph was that it was — no offense to anyone — a “little guy” in the motorcycle world. But I never accounted for the frustration of not finding (fill-in-the-blank) for my bike.

Back in 1998 I decided to ride my 81 Yamaha XS1100SH from New Strawn, KS to Albuquerque, NM. It had 0 luggage capacity, so I bought a T-Bag I could strap to the sissy bar and loaded it with a weeks worth of clothes, enough tools to rebuild the engine on a picnic table, and a bag phone that was the size of a brief case. There are a boat load of universal bags available, how you mount it so it doesn't end up in a ditch at 75mph is the tricky part.